11 killed as police raid Rio de Janeiro slum

DPA Rio de Janeiro, April 26 (DPA) At least 11 people were killed, including a 70-year-old woman who was shot dead, during clashes when police raided the notorious slum Cidade de Deus in the Brazilian capital Rio de Janeiro, reports said Saturday. No police officer was injured or killed during the “routine raid” in the hunt for drugs.

Human rights groups and slum dwellers have criticized the increasing frequency of the raids in Rio’s slums. In the month of April alone, two raids claimed the lives of 11 and nine victims respectively.

Opponents say that innocent people, small children and the elderly are almost always dragged into the crossfire.

Two elderly women were also injured in the raids in Cidade de Deus.

Police have meanwhile conceded that the dead woman was not involved in drugs dealing, but all other fatalities were criminals, they insisted.

A local gang leader Jorge Ferreira was also killed, police said and weapons including radios and drugs were seized. DPA